This invention relates generally to the reactivation of a catalyst and in particular to the reactivation of a tin oxide-containing catalyst.
New approaches for extending the life of lasers used in a wide variety of applications are under investigation. One aspect of the rapid progress in this area is that new techniques for long lifetime space applications of high pulse energy, common and rare isotope, closed-cycle CO.sub.2 lasers are being studied. The high-energy, pulsed CO.sub.2 lasers must be operated closed-cycle to conserve gas, especially if rare-isotope gases are used. Rare-isotope gases, such as C.sup.18 O.sub.2 are used for improved transmission of the laser beam in the atmosphere.
The electrons in electric-discharge CO.sub.2 lasers cause dissociation of some CO.sub.2 into O.sub.2 and CO and attach themselves to electronegative molecules such as O.sub.2, forming negative O.sub.2.sup.- ions, as well as larger negative ion clusters by collisions with CO or other molecules. For closed-cycle, sealed CO.sub.2 laser operation, the concentration of negative ions/clusters may become sufficiently high to form discharge instabilities which may ultimately disrupt the CO.sub.2 laser operation. The decrease in CO.sub.2 concentration due to dissociation into CO and O.sub.2 will reduce the average repetitively pulsed or continuous wave laser power, even if no disruptive negative ion instabilities occur.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to extend the lifetime of a catalyst used to combine the CO and O.sub.2 products formed in a laser discharge.
It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the primary object simply and inexpensively.
Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the specification which follows.